The Schooner 18 is a luxurious day sailor for 2-4, with pretenses of being a basic cruiser for 1-2. The bilge keels provide good lateral resistance as well as easy and upright beaching.

The aft cabin is quite adequate for sleeping, changing clothes, using the portable head, and stowing gear. It also has a small counter space for a one-burner stove and a water jug. Including the 20" of space under the bridge deck, the clear flat area is 6'-6" long. Head room under the hatch is 36". The aft cabin configuration makes wheel steering a practical necessity. Some will miss the lost feel of the tiller, but for us the wheel turns this boat into a little ship!

Test sails have shown the 18 to be a very nice performing craft. The maximum speed under sail so far has been 8 knots, and about the same under power (3.5 hp Tohatsu). The aft cabin separates the helm from the outboard motor enough to make motoring a quite pleasant experience. Power could go up to 6hp, perhaps more. Rowing is also a reasonable option.